Rand al'Thor looking serious in The Wheel of Time.

The Wheel of Time‘s treatment of Elayne Trakand’s romance with Rand al’Thor is the least of its worries, but for some reason, it’s one of the problems I notice the most. Amazon Prime Video’s The Wheel of Time is a fun fantasy. I’ll watch it as a book reader and someone happy to zone out to silly TV after work, but it’s hardly reinventing the wheel. Despite my low expectations, I think more could have been done to set up the canonical relationship between Elayne Trakand and Rand al’Thor, who met in The Wheel of Time season 2 finale.

Robert Jordan’s The Wheel of Time book series found new popularity after the Amazon Prime Video TV show of the same name started airing in 2021. I’m a fan of the show for that reason alone. Ultimately, I think an average adaptation is better than no adaptation. But now that Elayne and Rand have finally been introduced, I’m looking ahead to The Wheel of Time season 3 to consider what the show did wrong to set up their romance and how it could make up for its missed opportunities.

Rand Not Meeting Elayne In Season 1 Was A Massive Missed Opportunity

The Show Could Have Teased Elayne And Rand’s Romance Already

Ceara Coveney as Elayne Trakand in The Wheel of Time Season 2 on Amazon Prime Video. Ceara Coveney as Elayne Trakand looking concerned in The Wheel of Time season 2. Ceara Coveney as Elayne Trakand In The Wheel of Time season 2 looking determined. Ceara Coveney as Elayne Trakand in The Wheel of Time season 2. Ceara Coveney as Elayne Trakand in a white outfit in The Wheel of Time. Ceara Coveney as Elayne Trakand in The Wheel of Time Season 2 on Amazon Prime Video. Ceara Coveney as Elayne Trakand looking concerned in The Wheel of Time season 2. Ceara Coveney as Elayne Trakand In The Wheel of Time season 2 looking determined. Ceara Coveney as Elayne Trakand in The Wheel of Time season 2. Ceara Coveney as Elayne Trakand in a white outfit in The Wheel of Time.

The Amazon Prime Video fantasy series could have started building up to Rand and Elayne’s eventual romance as early as its debut year, which was a missed opportunity for me. There were some The Wheel of Time season 1 moments pulled straight from the books, which I appreciated. While I don’t think an adaptation has to follow its source material to the letter, Rand and Elayne’s romance shouldn’t feel rushed in the show. In the books, the two met in Caemlyn long before they met in Falme, triggering Elayne’s long-term infatuation. Unfortunately, the streamer’s adaptation didn’t go this narrative route.

Can Wheel Of Time Still Do Rand & Elayne’s Romance Justice?

The Wheel Of Time Season 3 Could Make Amends

Josha Stradowski as Rand al'Thor looking at Logain in The Wheel of Time Season 2.

Luckily, it looks like The Wheel of Time is going to set up its most important romance after skipping the longing of books one and two. It was risky to skip this aspect of Rand and Elayne’s relationship in the show because the grand scale and sense of time in the novels are part of what makes the characters and their arc convincing. I’m still waiting to be convinced by Josha Stradowski’s take on Rand, but regardless, The Wheel of Time should already start building his ties to Elayne to make amends for the show’s past missed opportunities to develop their romance.

I’m not sure if it’s a slightly wooden portrayal on Stradowski’s part or writing that veers toward the simplistic. Still, if Rand seems a little one-dimensional, the show will face an uphill battle to present his complex relationship with Elayne moving forward. The Wheel of Time season 3 should start incorporating Elayne’s “fondness for strays” and Rand’s awe at her beauty to compensate for lost time in seasons 1 and 2. Personally, I think Rand and Elayne’s sensitive and profound polyamorous relationship was what made Jordan’s books special, and I think the show still has time to accurately represent that on screen.